Proof-of-principle experiment to reconstruct the trajectory of dust grains interacting with the LHC beams

Interactions of dust grains with the LHC beams cause beam losses that can trigger premature beam aborts or even quenches of superconducting dipoles. While the simulated motion and ionisation of dust grains inside the proton beam are in good agreement with measured beam-loss data, a direct measurement of the dust movement is not available. A novel method was developed that reconstructs the trajectory of a dust grain based on the different beam loss profiles of transversely displaced bunches. A proof-of-principle experiment to validate the method using a thin wire to simulate the dust grain was performed in June 2024 at the LHC. This paper describes the beam experiment, compares the achieved displacements with simulations, and shows the reconstructed trajectories. Finally, it is discussed how the method can be applied for real dust events occurring during LHC operation.